Gondola car.



No. 658,788. 7 Patented Oct. 2, I900; G. l. KING.

GONDOLA CAB. (Application filed May 7, IQOOJ (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

ooooococooomlo ooqooonooeoo mz "cams PETER; co wm'oumovrwAsummom 04 c.

Patented 8m. 2, I900.

G. l.. KING.

GONDO'LA A8. (Application filed May 7,1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheat 2.

(No Model.)

TNE norms PETERS 00.. PNQYO-LHHQ. WASHINGTON, n. c.

=Patentd' Oct. 2, I900. G. 1. KING.

GONDDLA BAR.

(Application filed May 7, 1900.

(No Mudel.)

d m w m o o w o fim m m o o m IW HMH g zzidg :5

' NITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. KING, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GONDOLA CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,788, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed May '7, 1900. Serial No- 15,'8l7. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE 1. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gondola Cars, of which the following is a full,clear,and exact description, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming part of this specifioa tion, in which Figure I is a top plan view of one end of my improved gondola car. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one end of the car, the flooring being removed to more clearly show the framework. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of one end of the car. through one end of the car.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the top flange.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in gondola cars,the object being to construct a car employing structural iron or steel in the body and framework to obtain the great-est strength, a comparatively-light weight, and a large carrying capacity.

With this object in view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described, and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the side sheets of the car, which are strengthened by angleposts 2, 3, and 4, said posts being duplicated at each side of the car and at each end, and

consisting, preferably,of com mercially-rolled' structures whose cross-section is T-shaped,or two angle-plates are arranged parallel to each other and back to back. These posts are vertically disposed, and the posts 2 extend below the lower edge of the side sheets 1,0pposite the ends of the body-bolsters 5, to which they are secured by suitable .rivets. The

posts 3 terminate at the lower edges of the sidesheet 1, while the posts 4 extend some distance below the lower edges of the side sheets and carry cross-beams 6 at their lower ends, which cross-beams, as shown in Fig. 4, are preferably I-shaped in cross-section and.-

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view located beneath the framing of the car,whicli framing said I beams support. These I- beams are attached to the lower ends of posts 4 by suitable connection-angles 7. The side sheets 1 may be further strengthened at their middle portions and at points opposite the doors in the floor by angle-posts 8.

The top flange (shown in detail in Fig. 7) extends the entire length of the car-body and along the upper edges of the side sheets and consists of an L-shaped angle 9, arranged externally the side sheets, the horizontal member thereof projecting outwardly from a plane below the upper edges of the top sheets. A special L-shaped angle 10 is arranged along the inner face of the upper edge of the side sheet, the angle member thereof extending outwardly, forming substantiallya flared top. Brackets 11, preferably of malleable iron, are introduced between the outwardly-extending members of these angles, suitable rivets being employed to secure the brackets in position. These brackets are preferably arranged at suitable points along the length of the car and serve to support the flaring flange of the top angle, While the vertical members of the top and bottom angles, which are arranged on each side of the upper edge of the side sheet, are secured thereto by suitable rivets, as shown. By arranging the angles 9 and 10 as shown in Fig. 7 there is formed in the upper edge of the side sheet, which is in compression under load, a resisting column or strut having a ratio of least radius of gyration to unsupported length, which can be made large enough to easily resist the stress imposed. The flared upper edge also enables a greater load to be carried, and this flaring flange can be increased in width, as desired, such increment adding to the strength of the column, as well as to the carrying capacity of the car.

The length of the car shown in the accompanying drawings in actual practice is designed to be about forty feet, the distance from center to center of thetrucks being about thirty feet. This distance, thirtyfeet, is divided into three equal parts, forming panels, each of which has a span of about ten feet long, said panels being defined by the posts secured to the bolsters 5 and the posts Lwhich carry the cross supporting-beams 6. The unsupported length of the top flange of the chord comprising the angles 9 and 10 is therefore ten feet, and these angles are tied together by the brackets 11 and the rivets along their vertical members, so as to form a most rigid structure. To further strengthen the side sheets against lateral bulging or buckling, the panels are subdivided by the vertical angleposts 3 and 8.

From the above it will be seen that the strains and stresses are evenly distributed, the middle portion of the body having rigid supports in'the posts at and their carried parts, while the ends are supported directly upon the bolsters.

12 indicates the end sheets, which, as shown in Figs. 3, 4t, 5, and 6, are higher at their middle portions to conform to the heap of the.

load carried in the car-body, said end sheets being made shallower as they approach the side sheets of the car, sloping ofI" at approximately the angle of repose of the loose load. By this arrangement I am enabled to carry a maximum amount (loose load) with a slight increase of dead-weight or tare. The top edge of the end sheet is strengthened by an L- shaped angle 13, whose horizontal flange extends outwardly thereover, suitable rivets being employed to secure said angle in position. A horizontally-disposed angle let is arranged on the outer face of the end sheet and substantially on the plane of the top flanges of the side sheet-s, said angle 14 serving to prevent the end sheet from bulging and also forming a support for vertical posts 15, which are arranged on the inner face of the end sheet, said posts extending the entire length of the deepest portion thereof and said posts being secured by suitable rivets to the end sheets, their upper end being preferably olfset by being bent inwardly to accommodate the vertical flange of the angle 13. Cornerposts 16 are arranged externally the side and end sheets, being secured thereto by suitable rivets, said corner-posts extending down below the lower edges of said sheets and riveted to the end sills 17. The lower edges of the end sheets are also riveted to these end sills, as shown in Fig. 5. The usual handholds or rods for the train-crew are provided on the end sheets, and steps may also be employed on the inner faces of the sheets to form footholds when the car is empty.

18 indicates an angle secured to the inner face of the lower edge of the side sheet and upon which rests a nailing-strip 19, said nailingstrip receiving the floor-boards 20 when a wooden flooring is employed. Where a metallic-sheet flooring is used, it is obvious that the angles 19 will be raised slightly and the floor-sheets riveted directly thereto, or if the side sheets were flanged under the floor-sheets could be secured to said flanges. These angles 18, in addition to forming supports for the nailing-strips, also act as tension-flanges for the side sheets, which side sheets are practically plate-girders in the construction shown. By having these angles 18 arranged as shown a heavy side sill on each side of the car is rendered unnecessary.

21 indicates the sills, which are preferably in the form of channel-beams, the flanges thereof being disposed inwardly at the ends of the car and outwardly at the middle portion of the car, or vice versa. These sills are arranged parallel to each other at the ends of the car and have riveted thereto the coverplate 22 of the bolster 5, and within and starting from the cover-plate the sills diverge,

as shown in Fig. 2, terminating slightly beyond the cross supporting-beam 6. At this point the sills are interrupted, their continuations consisting of parallel beams 23, preferably in the form of channel-beams, whose flanges are outwardly disposed. By this arrangement the widely-spaced sills 23 aflord ample room for the door-openings between them, and overlapping the sills 21, whose flanges are inwardly disposed, rivets may be introduced between the vertical webs of the channel-beams 21 and 23 and a firm fastening made. The parallel converged outer ends of the sills 21 are sulficiently close together to receive and properly accommodate the draft-rigging of the car. So far as I am aware this arrangement of sills is new in car construction. By dividing these sills into three parts repairs can easily be made in case of damage or accident, as the length of any of the divisions are usually kept in stock, while a beam covering the entire length would have to be made specially.

24 indicates corner connection-plates secured, respectively, to the connection-angles 24 and to in wardly-extending shelves 25, projecting from the end sill 17. Diagonal anglebraces 26 extend from the corner connectionplates 24 to the cover-plate 22 of the bolster.

27 indicates connection-plates secured to connection -angles 27, riveted to the side sheets above the angles 18 and at points preferably in linewith the posts 3. Diagonal angle-braces 28 are connected to these connection-plates 27 and to the cover-plate 22. Connection-plates 29 are arranged on the channel-beams 21 opposite the plates 27, to which are connected the transversely-disposed tiebraces 30. Connection-plates 31 are provided at the junction of the channel-beams 21 and 23, to which and to the connection-plates 27 are secured the diagonal angle-braces 31. A cross-tie brace 32 is arranged between the connection-plates 31, while tie-braces 33 extend outwardly from the connection-plate 31 and are secured by a suitable connection-plate 34 tothe posts 4. (See Fig. 6.)

The channel-beams 21 and 23 have anglebrackets 35, secured thereto at convenient points for supporting nailing-strips 36, to which the floor-planks 20 are nailed. The

upper faces of the nailing-strips 19 and 36 arepreferably flush with channel-beams 21 and 23 and the diagonal braces 26, 28, and 31 and the cross braces 30, 32, 33, and 37 in order to afford a firm and solid support for the floorplanks. The under side of the floor-planks are preferably cut away for the connectionplates 24, 27, 29, and 31, or, if desired, fillingstrips may be superimposed above the diagonal and cross braces to build the same up to the height of the nailing-strips, where the upper faces of said nailing-strips are flush with the connection and cover plates. The floorplanks are cut away about the middle of the car to provide an opening, the sidewalls of which are formed by the nailing-strips 36, while the end walls are formed by channels 37, which channels are secured by suitable angle connections to channel-beams 23. These channels 37 carry castings 38, to which are pivoted the doors 39.

As shown in Fig. 6, there are two brackets 38 on each channel 37 in which brackets are pivoted the ends of a U-shaped strip 40, to which the planks constituting the door 39 are secured.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4,a shaft 41,mounted in suitable brackets secured to the channelbeams 23 and having one end extending to the side of the car and provided with a pawl-andratchet mechanism, receives a chain or cable 42, to the lower end of which are connected the ends of the door chains or cables 43,whereby when the chain 42 is wound upon the shaft 41 the doors are drawn to a closed position, being lockedlin such position by the pawbandratchet mechanism. To open the doors, the pawl is thrown out of engagement with the ratchet and the shaft permitted to rotate in the reverse direction, as is usual and well known.

In the drawings I have shown the ordinary handand air brake mechanism which is commonly used on ordinary cars and whose construction is well understood. The body-bolster and draft-rigging shown in the accompanying drawings form the subjects-matter of separate applications filed of even date herewith, which applications are serially numbered 15,813 and 15,816, respectively, and the end sill is shown and described in an application filed by me February 26, 1900, Serial No. 6,534.

The dimensions which obtain with respect to railway rolling stock are substantially standard-that is, cars should not exceed a certain width and a certain height and other measurementsas, for instance, the height of the coupler, &c.have been agreed upon and are adopted as standards. In the type of car shown in the accompanying drawings, the extreme width should not exceed ten feet, and as the cars are frequently unloaded by hand the height of the side sheets should not exceed forty-two inches. Being restricted as to width of car-bodyand height of side sheets, it follows that in designing a car for a given capacitysay fifty tonsthe length is figured on in preference-to changing the other fixeddimensions. The total length of the car shown in the accompanying drawings is forty feet, and the side sheets constructed as above described, forming, as they do, plate-girders, have a depth (about fifty inches over all) which is greatly in excess of the depth required for a plate-girder of this length, or rather two parallel plate-girders carrying the load 1nentionedfifty tons. The ratio between the depth and length for the load required to be carried being out of proportion and in favor of depth, I utilize this excess strength in these plate-girders by suspending the cross-beams 6 therebeneath, which crossbeams support the sills which form the middle floor-support, and thus the dead-weight of the load is equally distributed throughout the length of the car-body. It will of course be understood that the floorblan ks shown are supported not only by the channel-beams 23, but are also supported by the angles 18, being the tension members of the side plategirders. Further, channel-beams 21 are likewise supported upon the bolsters, which are in turn carried by the posts 2, and thus these channel-beams support the middle floor loads on each side of the bolster between the girders.

While I have shown and specified commercially-rolled structures of certain cross-sections, it is obvious that other forms may be used, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular forms shown and described herein except as such restrictions may be expressly imposed in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car, the combination with a body portion comprising a tloor, side and end sheets, of body-bolsters, cover-plates for said bolsters, posts arranged externally the side sheets and secured to the ends of the body-bolsters, and diagonal braces 26 extending from the corners of the car inwardly, their converging ends being secured to the cover-plate; substantially as described.

2. In a car, the combination with the body portion comprising the fioor, side and end sheets, of post 3 arranged externally the side sheets, connection-plates secured to the side sheets opposite the posts, and diagonal bracing secured to said connection-plates; substantially as described.

3. In a car, the combination with the body portion comprising the floor, side and end sheets, of center sills extending longitudinally the body portion, post-s secured to the side sheets and extending below the plane of the center sills, cross-beams arranged between, and secured to, the depending ends of said posts, said cross-beams being arranged under said center sills, body-bolsters for supporting the side sheets and center sills, and

braces radiating from the centers of said bolportion comprising a floor, side and end sheets, of posts 4 arranged externally the side sheets and extending below the lower edges thereof, sills for supporting the floor of the body, and cross-beams arranged under said sills for supporting the same, said beams being attached to the lower ends of said posts; substantially as described.

5. In a car, the combination with the body comprisingafloor, side and end sheets, posts 2 which extend below the lower edges of the side sheets, body bolsters, to the ends of which said posts are secured; posts 4 which extend below the lower edges of the side sheets, cross-beams secured thereto and between the depending ends of said last-mentioned posts, and posts 3 and 8 arranged externally the side sheets for stiffening the same; substantially as described.

(3. The combination with the side sheet of a car, of an angle-iron secured to the upper edge thereof and on the outer face of said sheet, an angle-iron secured to the inner face of said sheet and along the upperedge thereof, the flange of said lastmentioned angle extending outwardly, and brackets for supporting said outwardly-extending flange; substantially as described.

7. The combination with the side sheet of the car, of an L-shaped angle-iron 9, an angle-iron 10, and brackets 11 interposed between the outwardly-extending fiangesofsaid angle-irons; substantially as described.

8. The combination with the end sheet of a car whose middle portion is highest, of an angle-iron secured to the upper edge thereof, a horizontally-disposed angle-iron arranged on one face of the end sheet, and verticallydisposed posts secured on the other face of said end sheet; substantially as described.

9. The combination with an end sheet, of an angle-iron 13 secured to the upper edge thereof, a horizontally-disposed angle-iron 14 secured to one face thereof, vertical posts 15 secured to the other face thereof, and an end sill to which the lower edge of said sheet is secured; substantiallyas described.

10. In a car, the combination with side and end sheets, of externally-arranged posts secured to the side sheets, interiorly-arranged posts secured to the end sheets, corner-posts for securing the side and. end sheets, angleirons arranged along the upper edges of the side and end sheets, and end sills to which the lower edges of the end sheets and the lower ends of the corner-posts are secured; substantially as described.

11. The combination with the side sheet, of an angle-iron 18 secured to the lower edge thereof, a nailing-strip arranged upon said angle-iron, and the floor-plan ks which are fastened to said nailing-strip; substantially as described.

12. The combination with the side sheets, of angles 18 secured to their lower edges, end sills, corner connection-plates secured to the connection-angle 24 and to the end sills, a

cover-plate 22, and diagonal braces 26 secured to the corner connection-plates and to the said cover-plate; substantially as described.

13. The combination with the side sheets, connection -plates 27 secured thereto, of a co ver-plate 22 arranged over the bod y-bolster and diagonal braces 28 secured to said connection and cover plates; substantially as described.

14. The combination with the side sheets, of posts arranged on the outer faces thereof, sills, connection-plates on said sills, a tie brace 32 between said connection-plates, and tie-braces 83 from said tie-braces to said posts; substantially as described.

15. The combination with a car-body, and sectional sills arranged thereunder, the end sections of said sills converging at the ends of said car-body; substantially as described.

16. The combination with a car-body, and sectional sills arranged thereunder, the middle sections of said sills being parallel throughout their lengths in the middle portion of the car, and the end sections converging toward each other at the ends of the car, the outer portions of the end sections being parallel to each other; substantially as described.

17. The combination with a car-body, of channel-beam sills arranged thereunder, said sills being composed of sections joined together, and beams arranged transversely the car under the joints in the sills; substantially as described.

18. In a car, the combination with the body portion, of posts extending below said body portion, cross-beams arranged between, and

secured to, the depending ends of said posts, and floor-sills arranged upon said suspended cross-beams for supporting the middle floor load; substantially as described.

19. In a car-body, the combination with the side walls in the form of plate-girders, of angles 18 forming the tension members of said girders, said angles also supporting the floor, of cross-beams suspended from the side walls,

' and floor-supporting sills arranged on said cross-beams; substantially as described.

20. In a car-body, the combination with the side walls, in the form of plate-girders, the tension members thereof also forming floorsupports, body-bolsters and cross-beams suspended from said plategirders, and floorsupporting sills arranged upon said crossbeams and body-bolsters; substantially as described.

21. In a car-body, the combination with the side walls in the form of plate-girders, of angle-posts extending below the lower edge of said girder and dividing the sameinto a plurality of panels, bolsters attached to the depending ends of the posts nearest the ends of the car, cross-beams attached to the depending posts intermediate the ends of the car, floor-sills carried by said bolsters and crossbeams, tension members for said plate-girders which also form floor-supports, and a floor IIO which is supported by said sills and said tension members; substantially as described.

22. In a car-body, the combination with the side Walls forming plate-girders, of posts 4 arranged externally the side wall and extending below the lower edges thereof, cross-beams arranged between,and secured to, the depending ends of said posts, floor-supporting sills arranged upon said cross-beams, and diagonal bracing between said girders and said floor-supporting sills; substantially as described.

23. In a car-body, thecombination with the side walls in the form of plate-girders,of crossbeams carried thereby, floor-supporting sills arranged on said cross beams, the tension members of the plategirders also forming floor-supports, and diagonal bracing at the ends of the car connecting the plate-girders and floor-sills; substantially as described.

24. A car having a central longitudinal sill and plate-girder sides provided with vertical strengthening members, said sides extending below the floor-level and arranged to take most of the strain usually carried by the side sills, and angles secured to theinner faces of the lower edges of the plate-girder sides, said angles forming the side sills; substantially as described.

25. A car having a longitudinal center sill, and plate girder sides having vertical strengthening members, angles forming side sills which are secured directly to the lower edges of the plate-girder sides, and crossbeams arranged under the-center sill intermediate the ends of the car, said cross-beams being supported by the strengthening members projecting below the plate-girder sides; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of April, 1900.

GEORGE I. KING.

Witnesses:

WM. H. SCOTT, A. S. GRAY. 

